Tile-press.



PATBNTED DEC. 18, 1904.

W. R. UUNNINGHAM.

TILE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. 1904 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

fNVE/VTOR Wit/arm aw/1 ilomey Nb. 777,277 PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

- W. R. CUNNINGHAM.

TILE PRESS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT T 1904. 0 241mm,. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PVITNESSES:

fNVENTOR UNITE STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE,

l/VILLIAM R. CUNNINGHAM, OF BUCYRUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICANCLAY-WORKING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BUCYRUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TlLE-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,277, dated December13, 1904;.

Application filed September '7, 1904. Serial No. 228,615. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Crawford and State ofOhio, have invented new and useful 1mprovcments in Tile-Presses, ofwhich the following is aspecificat ion.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pressesdesigned especially for imparting to clay products the shapes whichadapt them for use as roofing-tiles, ridge rolls, or other coverings forroofs; and the invention consists of the parts and the constructions,arrangements, and combinations of parts, which 1 will hereinafterdescribe and claim.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich similar reference characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a press embodying myinvention and showing the cross-head partly in section. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the press. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4c is atop'planview of the reciprocating table. Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view onthe line C D of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line A B ofFig. 1.

1n the said drawings .1 illustrate a desirable form of my press, wherein11 designates the main frame of the machine, which frame may be of suchdesign and dimensions as shall adapt it for the purposes I have in view.As shown in Fig. 1, the main frame is provided with journal-bearings 10for the reception of the journals of the transverse shaft 5, the saidframe 11 being also provided with horizontal projections havingjournal-bearings 12 12 for the driving-shaft 2, said shaft having itsouter end supported in an appropriate bearing in the outboardpcdestal12, as shown in Fig, 1 and 2. On the driving-shaft 2 is a pulley 1,which may be of an appropriate friction-clutch type, (not herein shownin detail,) to which pulley power is communicated by any of the usualmethods to operate the machine. The shaft 2 has also fixed to it thepinions 3 3, one at each side of the machine, said pinions meshing withgear-wheels 4 4: on the outer ends of the shaft 5. Fixed to thegear-wheels 1 4 are crank-pins 6 6, on which are mounted the lower endsof the vertical connecting-rods 7 7.

Securely bolted. to the upper end of the main frame are the verticalrods 13 13, which form an appropriate guide for the reciprocatingcross-head 8, said head being provided with bearings 1 1 14: for therods and having its outer ends provided with bearings for the upper endsof the connecting-rods 7 7, which latter are provided with collars 0 andpass through the bearings 9 9 and have springs encircling their upperends and confined between the top of the bearings and suitable adjustingand lock nuts in the usual and wellknown manner. lilorizontal arms 15 15are bolted to either side of the main frame and extend in oppositedirections and have their outer ends turned inward toward thelongitndinal central line of the machine and lixed to the ends of alongitudinal eentrally-located shaft or red 16, said arms 15 15 beingrigid with the guides 19 19, upon which the reciprocating press-tablesoperate, as 1 will hereinafter describe. The main frame is also formedor provided with a post 17, which is designed to support the centralpart of the guide-shaft 16, which latter also serves as the means aboutwhich the table is tiltable or capable of being turned upside down tofacilitate the removal from the molds of the pressed ware.

To effect the reciprocal movements of the press-tables with theexpenditure of as little manual power as possible, and to therebyincrease the capacity of the machine, 1 provide a ball-bcaring for saidtables. As shown in Fig. 3, I employ in the press disclosed two tables18 18, both slida'bly mounted upon the guide-shaft 16 and each adaptedfor alternate operation. To further the object stated, 1 provide theupper surface of the main frame with raceways 2O 20, one on each side ofthe longitudinal central line of the machine and forming part of theessentially oblong ballbearings. (Shown in the plan view Fig. 1.)

During the operation of the machine the press-tables are guided onto theraceways by means of the guides 19 19. which latter also afford meansfor leveling the tables, and thus prepare them for entry upon theraceways. The press-tables 18 18 are also provided with raceways 32 32,and between these latter and the raceways 2O on or in the main frame Idispose of series of balls 33, which support the tables when moving thelatter into and out of line with the press-platen, as I will presentlyexplain.

At each end of the tables is a bent tube 34 34, into which the balls arereceived from the raceways 20 32 and 20 32, said tubes having theircurved end portions merging into straight portions which are disposedparallel with the raceways 2O 32 and 20 32, but are elevatedsufficiently above the plane of said raceways to lead the balls out ofcontact with the latter. To facilitate this operation, I upwardlyincline the under side of the table leading from the end of the raceways32 32, as shown in Fig. 6, to direct the balls from the raceways intothe tubes, and to thereby lift said balls out of contact with the lowerraceways 2O 20.

' plates being appropriately spaced to allow the lower portions of theballs to project therethrough and operatively engage the raceways 2O 20while the tables are being reciprocated onto and off the frame 11.

As seen in Fig. 4, I prefer to employ two sets of raceways, tubes, andballs, and the arrangement of parts is such that I begin to elevate theballs at the point marked 40 in Fig. 6, whereby the bottom of the ballswill not strike the raceways 20 20 at any time said balls are passingfrom the said raceways into the curved ends of the tubes 34 34: and thelongitudinal extensions thereof. The inner row of traveling balls ofeach series therefor support the tables during their reciprocalmovements onto and off the table.

The post 17, before referred to, not only supports the central portionof the shaft 16, but it serves as a stop for limiting the inward travelof the tables at the point 38, and thereby properly position the moldswith which the face of the tables will be supplied to receive thepressure from the platens.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the reciprocal cross-head 8is formed with a central socket 21,0pen at the bottom and adapted toslidably receive a hub 22, the connection between the parts comprising akeyway aim the hub and a short feather b in the socket, said hub havinga threaded nut at 24, through which works a screw 25, having a collar26, a plain bearing 27, and an operating handwheel 28 fitted thereto.The upper end of the screw is also threaded and receives a nut 30. Thesepartsnamely,the hub with its keyway and feather, the socket, the screw,and the hand-wheels afiord means of adj usting the platen and alsoprevent the same having a rotary movement in the socket.

The platen by which the pressure is communicated to the charge of clayor material in the molds in the face of the tables is fixed to the endof the hub, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and it is adjustable to regulatethe thickness of the material to be pressed.

In the operation of the press the power necessary to drive the machineis communicated to the shaft 2 and through the shaft 5 and gears andconnecting-rods 7 7, imparts a reciprocal movement to the cross-head andits platen. The molds are not shown, since they are old and well knownand are not claimed herein; but in practice one half of the mold to formthe tile or shape will be attached to the tables and the other half isattached to the platen.

The tables are reciprocated by handthere fore the advantage of theball-bearings to make the work for the operators as light as possiblesaid tables being reciprocable from a position indicated, say, at 18 inFig. 3 to a position immediately in the range of action of the platenand thence back again.

There being two tables used, it is apparent that two operators will beemployed, one at each side of the machine, and when one operator ismanipulating one table to receive the pressure of the platen the otheroperator is removing the finished or pressed product and supplying acharge or clot of clay in the mold of his table. When the clot of clayis supplied to said table, the other table is removed, and thenewly-charged table is pushed under the platen to receive the pressureduring the succeeding descent of the platen. After pressure has beenapplied to a table said table is drawn out to the position indicated bytable 18' in Fig. 3, and it is then moved axially about the guide-shaft16 and turned upside down to facilitate the removal of the pressedproduct. After such removal the table is tilted back into its normalposition, when by means of the handles 41 11, with which the tables aresupplied, the table after being recharged is pushed into place under theplaten and to take the place of the other table which has been fromunder the platen after receiving the pressure and out onto the,guide-rod l6, occupying the same relative position as shown at 18 onFig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a press of the character described, the combination with areciprocable table, a support therefor, said table tiltably mountedrelative to said support, and a pressure device, of a ball-bearingbetween the support and table and comprising balls loosely carried byone of said parts and traversable over the other part.

2. In a press of the character described. the combination with asupport, and a reciprocable tiltably-mounted table, of a raceway formedin the support in the range of the reciprocal action of the table, and aseries of loosely-mounted balls in the table and engaging said racewayduring the reciprocal movements of said table.

3. In a press of the character described, the combination with avertically-rcciprocable pressure mechanism, a support and a reciprocabletiltably-mounted table guided thereon, and means whereby the table isalternately moved onto and off the support, of a ballbearing formedbetween the surfaces of the support and table and con'iprising a racewayin one of said surfaces and a series of balls in the other surface saidballs engaging said raceway when the table is on the support and removedout of the raceway thereof when the table is removed from the support.

4. In a press of the character described, the

combination with a support and a longitudinally-extending guide, of twoalined tables tiltably mounted on the guide and slidable relative to thesupport, each of said tables carrying a member of a ball-bearing and thesupport having a coacting member of said bearing, and said tablesalternately movable onto and off the support.

5. lln a press of the character described, the combination with asupperting-frame having a raceway, and a longitudinally-extending guide,of a tiltably-mounted table reciprocable on said guide whereby it may bemoved onto and off the frame, said table having a raceway with a seriesof loosely-contained balls exposed at the under side and adapted toengage the raceway of the frame while the table is moving thereover, andretained in the table when the latter is moved off its support on theframe.

6. In a press of the character described, the combination of asupporting-frame and a reciprocable tiltably-mounted table travel-sablethereover and movable from said frame to a point at one side thereof, ofa ball-bearing comprising parallel raceways on the frame in the range ofaction of the table, andv series of balls in the table to engage theraceways of the frame while traveling thereover.

7. 111 a press of the character described, the combination of asupperting-frame and a reciprocable tiltably-mounted table movable ontoand off the frame, said frame having parallel raceways one disposedalong each side of the longitudinal center of the frame, series of looseballs carried by the table and adapted to traverse the raceways of theframe, and means for guiding the balls into and out of the raceways asthe table enters or leaves the frame.

8. In a press of the character described the combination with aframehaving parallel, longitudinally-cxtending raceways and guides projectinghorizontally from each end of the frame, of a table reciprocable ontoand off the frame said tablehaving parallel raceways coincident withthose of the frame, and provided with balls, and tubes in the table eachhaving a bent end connecting with the terminals of the raceways andreceiving the balls therefrom said tube returned upon itself and havingthe returned portion disposed in a plane higher than the raceways, andmeans sup1 )orting the table when it is moved off the frame.

9. In a press of the character deseribedthe combination with a tabularsurface provided with parallel, longitudinally-extending raceways, of areciprocable, tiltably-mounted table having parallel raceways coincidingwith those in the tabular surface, balls in the table-raceways andadapted to engage the other raceways, and tubes at the side of andparallel with the table-raceways and having their ends curved andinclined downwardly and connecting with a terminal of the raceways, andadapted to receive the balls therefrom.

l0. A press of the character described having in combination a frame; alongitudinallyextending guide, a pair of tiltable tables on said guideand alternately operable; means whereby the tables are alternately movedonto and off the frame; a platen; a reciprocable cross-head carrying theplaten, said tables movable into and out of the range of action of theplaten; means for operating the crosshead; antifriction devices carriedby the tables and coacting raceways on the frame in the range of actionof the said devices and. engaged thereby during the movement of thetables onto and off the frame.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM R. CUNNINGHAM.

\Vitnesses:

Fain) ll. HART, J. L. De Lasi-inu'r'r.

